The federal government announced expanded access to its dental care program on Saturday, a day before a federal election is expected to be called.
The government says all Canadians who have household incomes of less than $90,000 and don’t have private insurance will be able to apply for the program over the month of May.
Liberal Health Minister Kamal Khera said coverage will start as early as June 1.
The announcement comes a day before Prime Minister Mark Carney is expected to launch a federal election campaign. The federal Conservatives have not said whether they will continue funding the program, which was the result of a supply-and-confidence agreement between the Liberals and the NDP. Khera stated that the program has assisted Canadians who are unable to afford a visit to a dental office. The program was initially launched for seniors in December 2023 and has since been expanded in phases to include children and people with disabilities. “It’s not about cleaning teeth. She stated, “It’s about preventative health care that saves lives and saves money for Canadians.” According to Khera, the program has provided dental care to approximately 1.7 million Canadians, and the government anticipates that an additional 4.5 million Canadians will be eligible. Applications for Canadians aged 55 to 64 will open on May 1. On May 15, people aged 18 to 34 will follow, and on May 29, people aged 35 to 54 will follow.
Ottawa to make dental care program available to more Canadians
